Hand fire-extinguisher



(No Model.)

s. M. STEVENS. HAND FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

No. 593,135 Patented Nov. 2, 1897.

UNITED 'rnrns ATENT @rrrcn.

SAMUEL M. STEVENS, OF MANCHESTER, NEXV HAMPSHIRE.

HAND FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,135, dated November 2, 1897. Application filed P l7, 1896. Renewed August 28, 1897. Serlal'No. 649,871. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL M. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Manchester, inthe county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand Fire-EXtinguishers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact'description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in fire-extinguishing apparatus, and more particularly to improvements in chemical hand-extinguishers.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved hand fire-extinguisher in the form of an elongated vessel or tube normally closed at both ends and formed in a simple and improved manner at its discharge end, from which the vessel is hung in an upright position, so that when the vessel is grasped and forced from its hanging the sealing means will be removed and the tube can be grasped by its closed end and manipulated so as to spray the contents thereof into the fire.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved hand fire-extinguisher, sometimes in the form of an elongated tube, with simple and improved means for sealing the discharge end of the tube and for sustaining the tube when hung from a hanger.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and incombin ations and arrangements of parts more fully and particularly described and pointed out hereinafter. 1

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the tube hung from a hanger or support. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the upper portion of the tube with its closing means in their normal position thereon. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the discharge end and sealing means of the tube. Fig. 4 is a detail end View of the tube with the sealing means removed. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the upper portion of the tube and the cap, showing the tube in the act of being pulled away from the cap to release the tube and open its discharge end. Fig. 6 is an end view of the tube with the closing-cap removed.

In the drawings, a is the containing vessel for the chemical liquid employed. This liquid is preferably of such a nature that on being discharged into a fire it will liberate fire extinguishing or smothering vapors or gases, and has been found exceedingly efficient in extinguishing incipient fires, which might otherwise have extended to tremendous proportions. This vessel is here shown in the form of an elongated tube, permanently closed at one end and at the opposite end provided with a single discharge-nozzle. This nozzle is preferably tapered to the discharge-opening a and is here shown somewhat flattened or straight on one side. However, my invention is not limited to such a formation of nozzle.

Suitable means are preferably provided at.

the discharge-opening from the tube to divide, spray, and spread the liquid passing therethrough, so that it will be broken up and evenly distributed over an extended area. The means here shown for'accomplishing this purpose consists of a plurality of inwardly-inclined points Z), extending into and radially of the discharge-opening, so that the opening, for instance, has the contour of a star. These points are formed, preferably, although not necessarily, by V-shaped notches cut in the upper edge of the nozzle, so that the spraying points or members or obstructions are located directly in the discharge-opening.

The spraying-nozzle per se is not claimed in this application, but forms the basis of a divisional application filed January 25, 1897.

The sealing means detachably secured to the tube to close the discharge-opening preferably'consists of a hanger for supporting the tube carrying a removable cap, preferably in the form of an inverted cup, to fit over and 7 close the upper end of the nozzle and be detachably secured thereto by any suitable means, such as soft solder or a desirable cementor fragile material. Suitable means are also provided to sustain the weight of the hanger when the tube is hung in its normal position without subjecting the cap or attaching solder or cement to the sustaining weight of the filled tube. 4

c is a rod or wire preferably of flexible material and at its lower end rigidly secured to the body portion of the tube and extending upwardly beside the nozzle, with a. laterally bent or hooked end a distance awa from y or to one side of the nozzle.

01 is a hanger having an eyed or any other suitable means to fit on a hook or projection from the wall or other support. The hanger extends downwardly from this eye or loop and distance below the discharge-opening.

at its lower end isextended laterally to pass beneath the upper hooked end of the sustainin g rod orwire a. At its inner end the hanger is formed with a horizontal ring d fitting down or round theupper end of the nozzle a ring carries a cap a, which fits over the upper end of the nozzle and closes the dischargeopening thereof. The cap can be formed of thereto with hard solder or any other suit able material.

' Soft solder. can be employed to detachably fasten the cap'to the nozzle, so as to seal the discharge-opening, or any other suitable cement or means can be employed for this pur- I pose, so that the ring andcap canbe pulled 1 inthe direct line of strain or pull from the tube to the hook from which the device is suspended, so that the strain is taken and refrom the nozzle when sufficient force is exerted and the discharge opened.

It will be observed that'the hanger and the sustaining rod or wire or other device 0 are moved from the sealing-cap and thecement or solder. It is desired that these tubes be hung from suitable hooks or supports at convenient points in a house or building. In case of afire a tube'is grasped by the lower end and downward strain exerted thereon. Under sufficient force the sustaining device from the body of the tube will straighten out,throwing the strain on the sealing-cap. The soft solder will at once break away, freeing the tube,with its discharge open, and leaving the cap and hanger on the hook or other support. The operator then proceeds to the fire, and, holding the tube by the lower closed end, with a forward throw or thrust can shoot and spray the liquid for a considerable distance and with considerable force toward the fire and over an extended area.

A certain advantage results from locating the ring d inside of the cap, for if on the removal of the seal a part of the cap or solder should stick the ring will tear the same ofi", so as to leave the discharge open, the cap being usually composed of very thin metal or foil, which will easily and quickly tear loose under strain.

The ordinary tubes are filled with the fireextinguishing liquid before the seal-cap is placed thereon; but in some extra-fine or nickel-plated tubes it is desirable for certain reasons to fill the tubes after the caps have been secured in place. Hence I can provide the cap with a small top opening u, (see Fig.

3,) through which the tube can be filled with-- out permitting theliquid to comein contact with the outside of the tube or capr After,

the tube is filled the opening can be closed by a small plate to, which can be neatly soldered thereon.

It is evident that various changes and modi- 'fications might be made in the forms, constructions, and arrangements set forth without departing. from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to limit my invention to the exact constructions described.

This

Having thus fully described my invention,

- whatl claim as new, and desire to cover by Letters Patentof the UnitedStates, is-

1. A hand fire-extinguisher tube, having a tapered nozzle terminating in rigid projec tions at the discharge-opening to spray the liquid,in combination with a sealing-cap detachably arranged on the exterior of the noz' zle extending above and over and out of contact with said, projections and sealed to the exterior of the nozzle, substantiallyas de-v scribed.

2. A'hand firekextinguisher having a do I tachable sealing-cap closing its discharge, a

tube-supporting hanger connected therewith,

and tube-sustaining means extending. from the tube to the hanger in the line, of strain and formed to detach itself from the hanger "under sufficient force exerted longitudinally at the tube, substantially as described.

3. A hand fire-extinguisher having a disnozzle, a hanger for the tube passing beneath said hooked end, and to one side thereof, provided with a detachable nozzle-sealing device.

4. A hand fire-extinguisher formed of an elongated tube at one end having a tapered nozzle terminating in a discharge-opening, in combination with an exterior sealing-cap in the form of an inverted cup, open only at the lower end, and of a size to completely envelop the end of the nozzle with its lower annular edge engaging the exterior of the nozzle at a distance below said opening, and sealed there to only at or about said edge annularly around the nozzle by fragile sealing means to form a tight joint and prevent the escape of liquid from or air into the cap, and a hanger so connected with the cap as to cause a complete separation of the tube from the cap under sufficient downstrain, substantially as described.

5. A hand fireextinguisher formed of an elongated tube having a reduced nozzle at one end terminating in a discharge-opening, in combination with an exterior closed cap inclosing the end of the nozzle and formed of thin metal, a metal ring around whichthe lower edge of said cap is turned and at which the cap is sealed to the exterior of the nozzle at a distance below the discharge-opening by fragile sealing means to .form a tight joint, and a support connected with said ring so that under sufficient downstrain on the tube I00. chargenozzle, aweightsustaining rod from the tube hooked at its upper end beside the,

the ring will strip the cap from the end of the nozzle, substantially as described.

6. A hand fire-extinguisher formed of a tube having a reduced nozzle terminating in a discharge-opening, the nozzle formed with projections at its end edge in said opening, a detachable exterior sealing-cap in the form of an inverted cup having a hanger connected therewith, said cap arranged on the end of the nozzle over said opening and around its lower portion united-to the exterior of the nozzle below said opening by fragile sealing means, substantially as described.

7. A hand fire-extinguisher tube having a tapered discharge-nozzle terminating in an opening, a sealing-cap fitted over the exterior of the end of the nozzle and united to the end by fragile sealing material, a tube-hanger connected with said cap, and a detachable tube sustaining connection between the hanger and body of the tube arranged to become disengaged from the hanger under downstrain sufficient to detach the cap, substantially as described.

9. A hand fire-extinguisher comprising an fer the strain to the closure, substantially as described.

10. Ahand fire-extinguisher comprising the elongated tube having a discharge-opening, a closure for said opening detachable therefrom under downpull of the tube, a hanger or support directly secured to the closure, and a tube sustaining connection directly secured to the body of the tube and extending to the hanger in the line of strain from the tube to the hanger and detachably connected with the hanger, substantially as described.

11. A hand fire-extinguisher having a tapered nozzle terminating in an opening, a sealing-cap on the nozzle and detachably secured thereto, aring in the lower edge of the cap having a hanger extending outwardly and upwardly therefrom, and a detachable connection from the body of the tube to the hanger, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL M. STEVENS.

WVitnesses:

F. 1. Bonen, G. M. STEVENS, 

